A Tata Electronics factory in India that supplies iPhone parts faced shutdown concerns following pollution complaints.
However, following an inspection from the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board, the factory will not be shut down, after the company said pollution concerns at the facility had been addressed.
The plant, located in Hosur, Tamil Nadu, was under scrutiny by the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board after farmers near the facility complained that factory wastewater had contaminated their land and wells.
The regulator had earlier warned of possible action, including a forced shutdown of the facility.
The factory manufactures iPhone backplates and other components. It is part of Apple’s growing supply chain in India as the company works to reduce its reliance on Chinese manufacturing.
India has become a major part of Apple’s production strategy, with about a quarter of iPhones sold worldwide now made there.
The Hosur plant is part of the wider parts supply ecosystem supporting that shift.
Tata said it addressed all contamination concerns raised by the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board. The company also said the factory is no longer under investigation by the regulator.
Tata was reportedly made aware of the contamination concerns on December 23 last year. The company said it later conducted an independent sample analysis, which found that the facility was in full compliance with regulations. Tata said all parameters were within the prescribed limits.
Tata said the pollution board’s own recent water sample analysis also did not show contamination at the Hosur facility. The company said the regulator confirmed that Tata had satisfactorily addressed all queries mentioned in the warning notice.
As a result, the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board dropped any further course of action on the issue.
The decision removes a possible disruption for one of Apple’s key Indian suppliers. The plant is important to Apple’s India manufacturing plans because it produces iPhone components at a time when the company is expanding production outside China.
Apple and the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board did not respond to requests for comment.
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